middling

[ mid-ling ]

adjective

1. medium, moderate, or average in size, quantity, or quality:

   The returns on such a large investment may be only middling.

2. mediocre; ordinary; commonplace; pedestrian:

   The restaurant's entrées are no better than middling.

3. Older Use. in fairly good health.

adverb

1. moderately; fairly.

noun

1. middlings, any of various products or commodities of intermediate quality, grade, size, etc., as the coarser particles of ground wheat mingled with bran.
2. Often middlings. Also called middling meat. Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S. salt pork or smoked side meat.

middling

/ ˈmɪdlɪŋ /

adjective

1. mediocre in quality, size, etc; neither good nor bad, esp in health (often in the phrase fair to middling )

adverb

1. informal.
   moderately

   middling well

Derived Forms

• ˈmiddlingly, adverb

Other Words From

• middling·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of middling¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English (north) medlinge (present participle) “coming between, middle”; mid ¹, -ling ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of middling¹

C15 (northern English and Scottish): from mid ¹+ -ling ²

Idioms and Phrases

see fair to middling .

Example Sentences

Originally dubbing themselves as Caesar and Cleo, they began releasing singles, eventually landing a middling hit with “Baby Don’t Go” as Sonny and Cher.

From Salon

Unified is middling, even as depicted by a state accountability system that rarely shows school systems in a harsh light.

From Los Angeles Times

This has led to lower recruitment and increased pressure in universities that accept middling grades, and some smaller institutions.

From BBC

Even when their blooms are middling, they impress, and when they’re great — as in superblooms that cover entire hillsides like colorful quilts — they bring us to our knees.

From Los Angeles Times

With the ATP, he competes on the Challenger Tour, the namesake of “Challengers,” a recent Zendaya-starring film that highlighted the difficulties of life as a middling pro.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• mediocre
• passable
• run-of-the-mill
• so-so